The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-02-16
took q sum of money from the safe, in

LOOK sum or money 1rOn tne Sale, iu-
tending to return it in few days.
Like a fool" said he, ~ told my
wife what I had done, and said she could
get some clothing, of which she stood
much in need. The NEXT morning her
brother came in and accused me OF TAX
ing the money. and my wife spoke up
and told him what I had sa d to her.
lie was very angry, aud discharged me
then and there, saying that If his sister
lived he would not prose ute me, but II
she d ed before me. he would punish me
to the flll >tent of the law. When he
left I accused my wife of playing me
false, and in my cursed anger raised my
hand and struck her across the face.
"From this / trace the beginning OF
my trouble. We moved to Massachu-
sctts, and I obtained work on weekly
paper as a compositor, trade which l
had learned for amusement years ago.
Here our tile girls were born. You saw
those red marks on their faces. They
were born thereto be an everlasting re-
minder of nv ungovernable temper. 1t
was fearful shock to me, but I was get
ting along we'll and thought could live
| it down. I became foreman of the shop
! and took charge of all the paper, vlrtu-
ally acting as manager. I had high hope
before me.
"One day MN came by the house
and saw the children. He called, and
offered to take them into dime museum
as curiosities. When returned that night
found doctor by my witc's bedside
looking very grave The shock caused
by the importunity of the dime museum
agent had brought on fit of bleeding
at the lungs. For two weeks l watched
BY her bedside nights and worked days
in the Office. Then she recovered enough
so could send her South. In one win
ter oil our saving went away, and l,
growing desperate, left my work and
came to the city.
You know the.rest of the story e,rly
as we'll as do. 1t has been long fight
against hunger and disease. have lied
thousand times to get money where.
with to purchase me1icine for my wife;
have gone hungry, cold and shelterless,
all to keep life in that frail woman, who
was the only ban that stood between me
and prison. My brother-in. n.law is alive
and keeps track of my deeds. He has
men right here who are in his pay"
"W6y don't you sue and get portion
of the estate, contending that undue in-
fluence was exertcd on your wife's
fathcr2"
"Shaw! But that exasperates him the
more. You know a poor man has no
show in this world. 1 gave up hope
some time ago."
When put him on a car that night I
gave him a dollar and told him to call
again when he needed help and no one
would assist him.
He-never called. -.
Two nights later was summoned to
fire in my district. I arrived in time to
see tho police bring in two shrieklng
children and dead woman from the
burning building. I heard the cry of
despair uttered by my friend with the
light side whiskers and krew that the
agony was over. The poor woman had
been spared from lingering death by
consumption. From the police learned
that her name was Mrs. Silas Littlefeld,
and that she was thirty-two years cd.
The facts connected with the fire were
printed in the paper the next morning.
The story of the family had no place
there, and did not appear.
Two more events occurred IN my
story. One was an item which l clipped
from a New Hampshire paper. 1t read:
Silas Littlefield, arrested in Boston last
mouth on charge Of robbing the safe of Hon.
Phineas Blow, six years ago, was to-day
Sentenced to five years in the States prison.
Great credit is due officer Han lcuR for de-
tectiny and capturing the prisoner, who has
long eluded the law.
Last winter I went south to boom the
winter hotels. One evening went out
on the principal street of the city l was
visiting. Ihad not walked far when the
sipn of a dime museum attracted my
eyes. It read:
CIRCASSIAN TWINS.